Will Cook

Kelbrook is now switched on for Christmas after a misplaced key meant a delay in turning on the festive lights.

Two trees of LEDs should have been lit up on November 30th to coincide with the illumination of St Mary’s Church’s star.

But a lost key for the electric box and a subsequent fault with the circuit breaker forced the delay in flicking the switch.

Chairman of Kelbrook and Sough Parish Council, Coun. Paul Maskell, admitted it had been “a little bit embarrassing” but is “delighted” with the result.

The brand new lights by the beck in the village have been paid for by the parish council.

Coun. Maskell said: “It looks lovely down there now. Because there are no leaves on the trees, you can see the shape of them and it’s a really nice effect, and there’s the church in the background.

“These are a longer term investment so we have spent a little more now on these but they should last for 10 years, rather than one tree for a year which we would not be able to replace with funding for Christmas lights from Pendle Council coming to an end.”